Interview with John Trevor Canham

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Description

Object description

British naval airman trained as observer with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Trinidad, 1942-1943; officer served as observer with 836 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard MV Empire MacAlpine in North Atlantic, 1943-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Leicester and Bath GB, 1922-1940: family; education; first flight in aircraft; employment in Bath, 1939. Aspects of enlistment in Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1940-1942: selection procedure; reasons for joining Fleet Air Arm; attending night classes relating to aviation whilst awaiting call up; continuing employment in Bath; parent's reaction to his volunteering. Aspects of training as observer with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Trinidad, 1942-1943: arrival at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB; origins of fellow recruits; pattern of primary training. REEL 2 Continues: method of navigating at sea; degree of ability at Morse Code; training in aircraft at HMS Goshawk, Royal Naval Air Station Piarco Trinidad; voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from GB to United States of America, 1942; voyage aboard United States Merchant Marine ship to Trinidad; daily routine at HMS Goshawk, Royal Naval Air Station Piarco, Trinidad and aircraft types flown in; hospitality from ex-patriots; flying training; return to GB via United States of America, 1943. REEL 3 Continues: drafting to HMS Nightjar, Royal Naval Air Station Inskip for operational training; pattern of training Fleet Air Arm; opinion of Fairey Swordfish; discovery of sea water in petrol tanks of Fairey Swordfish; deck landing practice; practice rocket firing. Aspects of operations as observer with 836 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in North Atlantic, 1943-1945: in use of rocket to assist take-off on Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC); role of ground crew; three incidents of crash landing on carrier, 6/1944. REEL 4 Continues: problems of operating from Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC); role of Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC); attitude towards American service personnel; conditions and crew on board MV Empire MacAlpine; duration of convoys; occasion when his aircraft became lost in fog and use of beacon to find carrier; searching for German Navy submarines; coping with cold in Fairey Swordfish; character of Fairey Swordfish. REEL 5 Continues: attitude to service on Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC) vessels; ashore at Halifax, Canada; story illustrating attitude to losses; landing on; use of rocket assisted take offs; degree to which progress of war followed; reporting iceberg to Air Staff Officer. Aspects of period as officer with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1945-1946: duties at HMS Nightjar, Royal Naval Air Station Inskip; demobilisation, 1946; reasons for turning down offer of commission; attitude to serving with Fleet Air Arm in Second World War; activities on leaving 836 Naval Air Sqdn, 2/1945.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Haslam, Nick (Recorder)
Canham, John Trevor (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2008-04-09
Dimensions: whole: Duration 150, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 31406

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Interview with John Trevor Canham

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